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EL.LE | Vol. 10 | Issue 1 | March 2021

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Research Article

Chatbots for Action-Oriented Language Learning

Using Elbot to Enhance Conflict-Solving Skills in Learners of German as a Foreign Language

Francesca Mazzilli    Università degli Studi di Bari «Aldo Moro», Italia    

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abstract

The aim of this study is to investigate (i) how learners perceive the non-educational chatbot Elbot as a language learning tool in a formal context (university German course), and (ii) to what extent a set of task-oriented interactions with Elbot influences the learners’ behaviour (e.g. lexical choices) during a separate activity. For these purposes, this study outlines a lesson/experiment focused on the enhancement of conflict-solving skills in German as a foreign language. A mixed-methods approach was applied to evaluate Elbot’s contribution to the lesson as well as its impact on the learners’ choice of basic strategies to solve a conflict. The study concludes with the discussion of the advantages of developing an edu-bot based on an existing non-educational chatbot. In this regard, the research also provides some concrete proposals based on the results of the data analysis.

Published
March 31, 2021
Accepted
March 23, 2021
Submitted
May 25, 2020
Language
EN

Keywords: Conflict-solving skills • Non-educational bots • Chatbots • German as a Foreign Language • Edu-bots • Dialogue-based CALL • Elbot • Academic language education • Chat-based human-computer interaction • Action-oriented language education

permalink http://doi.org/10.30687/ELLE/2280-6792/2021/01/005

Copyright: © 2021 Francesca Mazzilli. This is an open-access work distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction is permitted, provided that the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. The license allows for commercial use. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.